If you’re one of countless Americans hooked on all things British or just love a fairy-tale wedding, you don’t have to fly across the pond to take in the special moment Friday when Prince William and Kate Middleton tie the knot.

You will, however, have to get up early if you want to catch all the pre-wedding hoopla live. London is five hours ahead of us. Coverage generally begins at 4 a.m. Eastern time.

BBC and BBC America: More than five hours of live, commercial-free coverage on BBC America through a simulcast with BBC ONE, the flagship network, begins at 3 a.m.

CBS: Complete coverage before, during and after the wedding. Katie Couric will anchor a one-hour prime-time special called “The Royal Wedding: Modern Majesty.”

CNN: Piers Morgan will broadcast his show from London, as will Anderson Cooper and Kiran Chetry.

FOX: Shepard Smith and Martha McCallum will lead coverage, beginning at 4 a.m., with other Fox personalities.
NBC: Complete wedding day coverage with Kathie Lee Gifford, Hoda Kotb and others. Other NBC news shows will also provide programming.

TLC: Live coverage and an encore Sunday. Also, a viewing party in Times Square, where singer/songwriter Colbie Caillat will perform her new single “I Do.”

The big day (Eastern time)

3 a.m.: Queen Elizabeth will bestow titles on William and Kate.

4 a.m.: Guests begin arriving at Westminster Abbey.

5:40 a.m.: Members of the royal family begin arriving.

6 a.m.: Wedding ceremony begins.

7:15 a.m.: Royal party gathers outside abbey as newlyweds get into first carriage.

7:30 a.m.: Newlyweds arrive through Buckingham Palace gates. The queen gives a reception at the palace.

8:25 a.m.: Windsor and Middleton families emerge on balcony, likely led by William and Kate.

1 p.m.: The Prince of Wales gives a private dinner at the palace for the couple, their close friends and family, followed by dancing.

Kate’s dress

Will it have sleeves? A sweeping train? Antique lace, or bead work?

“They’ve done an amazing job at keeping it secret,” said Darcy Miller, editorial director at Martha Stewart Weddings. “The secrecy of the designer is making it more of an obsession” for brides and millions of royal fans everywhere.

The world gets it first peek when Kate crosses the threshold at 6 a.m. Eastern time at Westminster Abbey.

Pomp and security screens: The ceremonial events will come with ID checks, security sweeps and 5,000 police officers making sure terrorists and ordinary riffraff don’t blight the royal spectacle. A-X